Statement by C.R.E.W.“First, President Bush said any person who leaked would no longer work in his administration. Nonetheless, Scooter Libby didn’t leave office until he was indicted and Karl Rove works in the White House even today. More recently, the vice president ignored an executive order protecting classified information, claiming he isn’t really part of the executive branch. Clearly, this is an administration that believes leaking classified information for political ends is justified and that the law is what applies to other people.”

Are there certain procedures that must be followed for a commutation of sentence to take effect? If so, were those procedures followed? I agree w/Kit above, Libby probably threatened to talk, talk, talk. Seems like Bush acted too fast on this one. I hope to the bottom of my soul that we don't let him get away with this. There are no words to express the disgust.

Well, Patrick Turley Law expert on MSNBC who is NOT pro Bush) said that during the trial, whenever things got close to getting Cheney involved, Fitzgerald back pedaled, and in essence avoided shining the light on Cheney. The whole thing looks pretty much like a set-up.

We now know there is no need for Judges, Courts or jurors. The world has just seen the new American Justice System at work. Bush didn't make the decision to commute Libby's sentence it was Daddy Bush. This weekend Daddy Bush had to clean up for his baby boy George. Barbara Bush baked cookies for President Putin. Yes baby George needed his parents to help with the powerful President Putin. Who knows Libby needs a job so Bush might appoint him Deputy Attorney General as a reward for his loyalty. This decision by Daddy Bush for his son should serve notice to all lawyers, that criminals that are Republicans will not have to pay for crimes of any kind.

If the rest can't be indicted, we are done. If the best team in the country couldn't bring them down, no one else can- short of a revolution. Bushies simply don't respect law, courts and the jury decision.

Should have seen the Bushie that sped around me in a 25 (I have bumper stickers)-he was feeling high-his prez IS the LAW...

The United States of America is officially over, when a man not the legitimately elected president can tell "the law" what to do.

The Bushites will continue working to destroy this country until there is nothing left. Only a place illegal immigrants want, second world living as opposed to 3rd.

Alright, well its been a pleasure knowing you all.

I'm going to go look for a country that doesn't have a thug for its prezident. And they talk about Hugo...

It is serious what the President today did: He defied the legal system; rewarded war criminal conduct; and obstructed justice in re war crimes reports. Civilized nations do challenge this offensive, illegal conduct, especially when the Executive Rewards retaliation against witnesses of war crimes.

However, there is a problem at the Federal level. The President can be confronted two ways: First through impeachment; or through prosecution. The Congress has impermissibly taken impeachment off the table. Prosecutions at the Federal level are not viable.-------The Hill is reporting an article "Impeach Cheney for Good of country"

Jan, back to Hawaii, NOW! (I'm going with you)

I just wonder what these people have to do to serve their time.Perhaps the Madames records will come out very soon...

"While Bush caved to pressure from his conservative base in issuing the pardon, the move may not be particularly popular with the broader American public. Only 21% in a March Gallup Poll favored a pardon for Libby in the case. Of the remainder of Americans, 67% opposed a pardon for the former aide."

An anonymous commenter on another blog (The Next Hurrah)has raised an interesting point, if true. Anon makes the point that Bush may have the power to commute, suspend, or eliminate a sentence, but not the power to reduce it, as he did in this case.

So, is this an argument that has any legs? Any legal folks out there who care to make a comment?

See, I don't see how Bush is not doing something illegal in the way this commutation of sentence was carried out today. I'm sure he thinks people will be outraged and noisy for a few days and then it will all blow over. Also, who wants to bet that on his last day in office he gives Libby a full pardon?

Links to this post:

About Me

Think Globally Prosecute Locally
- I grew up in Flatbush, kept my nose clean, went to law school. Now that I am in Chicago and D.C. I have found that the rampant graft and corruption to be a travesty - a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.
---Favorite quote --- "Conditional love is an oxymoron." - Yours truly